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Can nuclear power save the climate?

22 countries have announced plans to expand nuclear power. The CDU also wants to commit itself to nuclear energy in its new basic program. Is nuclear power a possible solution in the fight against climate change?

,   and  James Williams
5 min read
The first completely redesigned nuclear power reactor in more than 30 years has been connected to....aussiedlerbote.de
The first completely redesigned nuclear power reactor in more than 30 years has been connected to the grid in the US state of Georgia. Photo.aussiedlerbote.de

Energy - Can nuclear power save the climate?

In Germany, the last nuclear power plants will be taken off the grid in 2023 - industrialized countries such as the USA and France, on the other hand, see this as the future. They are planning to massively expand the use of nuclear energy by 2050.

The reason: the climate targets cannot be achieved otherwise. How sustainable nuclear power really is.

Why do some countries want to rely on nuclear power?

Industrialized nations such as Canada, France, Japan and the USA want to significantly increase energy generation from nuclear power for the good of the climate. According to a declaration published at the World Climate Conference, capacities should be tripled by 2050. It states that nuclear power will play a key role in achieving climate neutrality by the middle of the century and keeping the 1.5-degree target, with which the global community aims to prevent the worst consequences of global warming, within the realms of possibility.

Has Germany also signed the declaration?

No, and that is hardly surprising. Germany shut down its last three nuclear power plants - Isar 2, Neckarwestheim 2 and Emsland - in April 2023, thus completing the nuclear phase-out. The former power plants are now being dismantled.

But even in Germany, voices in favor of nuclear power are being raised again and again. A first draft of the CDU's new basic principles program, for example, states that Germany cannot currently do without the option of nuclear power. They want to rely on "fourth and fifth generation nuclear power plants", i.e. state-of-the-art reactor types that are safer, more efficient and cleaner.

Isn't nuclear power cleaner and more sustainable than other forms of energy anyway?

According to the Federal Environment Agency (Uba), the technology is not sustainable. One reason is the water issue, which is of central importance for the safe and efficient operation of nuclear power plants. "This high demand for cooling water can be bad for the environment or, in conjunction with heatwaves and climate change, restrict operations," warns the Uba. "In times of heatwaves or droughts, water availability for cooling purposes may be limited, which can lead to cooling problems. However, such extreme events will occur more and more frequently due to climate change." In France, where the majority of nuclear reactors are cooled with river water, there has already been an increase in outages in recent years.

According to Uba, uranium mining also causes increased uranium and radium contamination in water and small pieces of rock. Radioactive dust and radon gas endanger workers and residents living near uranium mines.

But supporters of nuclear power say that it is at least CO2-neutral?

That's not true. Although only small amounts of the climate-damaging gas CO2 are produced during the production of electricity from nuclear power, greenhouse gases are produced in large quantities, especially before and after electricity production. If you consider the entire life cycle - from uranium mining, fuel element production, power plant construction and dismantling to final disposal - the individual stages of the cycle sometimes require a high amount of energy, whereby greenhouse gases are emitted, according to Uba.

What does the responsible Ministry of the Environment say?

According to the ministry, nuclear power is not an option for saving the climate because it is too slow, too dangerous and not robust against climate change. There has long been a much better, more climate-friendly and cheaper alternative in the form of wind and solar power.

Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) also warns of the "exploding costs of virtually all new nuclear power plants". She is concerned that the construction and use of reactors could become very expensive for consumers. And that's not even mentioning the cost of the final and interim storage of nuclear waste. "But the waste has to go somewhere at the end of the day," says Lemke.

Where is nuclear waste disposed of?

In so-called final repositories, where the radioactive waste is to be stored safely for very long periods of time. According to Uba, there is no final repository in Germany or in the EU that is actually in operation and could provide empirical evidence or scientific analyses of the long-term effects of disposing of highly radioactive waste.

How much of this radioactive waste is there in Germany?

A distinction is made between high-level, intermediate-level and low-level radioactive waste. High-level radioactive waste is mostly spent fuel elements from nuclear power plants or research reactors. According to the Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BASE), this only accounts for 5 percent of the total volume of radioactive waste, but is responsible for 99 percent of the activity.

However, the disposal of low and medium-level radioactive waste - for example contaminated parts from the dismantling of nuclear power plants such as parts of the generator - also poses challenges for those responsible. According to BASE estimates, there are around 620,000 cubic meters of this waste in Germany - a volume roughly equivalent to the contents of more than 200 Olympic swimming pools.

Can't the waste simply remain in interim storage facilities?

Only repositories in deep geological layers are considered a permanently safe solution. "Concrete, barbed wire and security guards" are no substitute, says BASE President Wolfram König. Deep-lying rocks offer a natural barrier that protects against radiation.

Read also:

  1. Despite Germany's nuclear phase-out, industrialized countries like the USA and France view nuclear power as a future energy source, planning to significantly expand its use by 2050 to combat climate change.
  2. Industrialized nations such as Canada, France, Japan, and the USA aim to triple nuclear energy capacities by 2050, as stated in a World Climate Conference declaration, believing that nuclear power is key to achieving climate neutrality and preventing the worst consequences of global warming.
  3. Germany, however, has not signed this declaration, having shut down its last three nuclear power plants - Isar 2, Neckarwestheim 2, and Emsland - in April 2023 and started the dismantling process, completing its nuclear phase-out.
  4. Even in Germany, supportive voices for nuclear power have emerged, with the CDU's new basic principles program advocating for the use of "fourth and fifth generation nuclear power plants."
  5. Some argue that nuclear power is cleaner and more sustainable than other forms of energy, as it produces low amounts of CO2 during electricity production.
  6. However, the Federal Environment Agency (Uba) contends that this is not the case, citing concerns over the high demand for cooling water, environmental impact, and health risks associated with uranium mining.
  7. Supporters of nuclear power argue that it is at least CO2-neutral, disputing claims that greenhouse gases are produced in large quantities throughout the energy production process.
  8. However, the Ministry of the Environment claims that nuclear power is not an option for saving the climate, citing concerns over cost, safety, and the lack of a robust solution against climate change.
  9. Environmental Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) warns of the high costs of constructing and using new nuclear power plants, and the expenses associated with temporary and final waste storage.
  10. In France, where a majority of nuclear reactors are cooled with river water, there has already been an increase in outages due to environmental challenges related to climate change.
  11. According to the Uba, there is no final repository for radioactive waste in Germany or the EU that is currently in operation, posing challenges for waste disposal and long-term safety.

Source: www.stern.de

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